Inspiring Indian talent to watch
The landscape of the modelling industry is ever changing and with everything in life, the talent sector has undergone drastic changes in the past few years. There has been a sharp shift in what was and what is now expected whenever a brand reveals their new campaigns and diversity can’t be ignored anymore. Beautiful pictures with professionally enhanced effects no longer meet the modern consumer’s requirements and today’s audience demand relatable, realistic fresh faces and not a promoted parallel world with unattainable expectations.
But are these changes really happening on a daily basis and if so who are the models making waves in the industry?
Well, in a recent article by the Hindustan Times, Supermodel Sonalika Sahay said: "The industry has evolved over the last decade. There are many young brands and designers who are extremely talented and creative. The fashion industry has expanded phenomenally which has resulted in much more work for models and event companies.”
We definitely witnessed this last year, when seeing how makeup tycoon Charlotte Tilbury took inspiration from India’s wedding season to create a gorgeous campaign and featured rising star Shivanni Sharma as the face for this look. These images captured glamour, confidence and joy, everything that these celebrations represent but with a modern twist, revealing how indian sensibilities can be combined with western style and how a young yet approachable model can be promoted in an authentic setting.
Neeleam Gill is also a key household name, as the first British-Indian model to front a Burberry campaign she’s recently been using her voice to help fight for a better world and encourage kindness for others but also ourselves. “I always get asked why I decided to speak out but I can’t help it, it’s just my personality,” she tells Refinery29. “Especially when I see the positive impact it can have on others. If I can help one other person feel seen or heard, then I feel like I'm doing something greater than what my job is.”
A model of the moment is definitely Amrit who was named as the next indian supermodel by Indian Vogue and has worked for numerous publications and brands alike, including Alexander Wang, Karl Lagerfield and Chanel - amongst others. The self-confessed camera shy artist is originally from Punjab and is grateful to other south Asian models like Pooja who she said have helped pave the way for her and motivated her to not become invisible, despite being overwhelmed in such a condense space.
In the past, the modelling industry has often been criticized for its racism and lack of inclusivity, but in recent years we’ve grown and more ethnicities / Indian faces have been seen on the runway, in our magazines and across commercial advertising.
What’s even more inspiring is how motivated these established faces feel and how they are in turn using their experiences and positions to help future generations. With luxury brands like Victoria Beckham leading the way with such inclusivity in their recent campaigns, the possibilities seem endless and that’s a great thing.
At Amrika, we look forward to working with a range of friendly faces over our journey and are very excited about supporting like minded creative talent who share our values.
So if you would like to collaborate with us, whether in a guest feature on our blog, an Instagram live or any other idea, feel free to email: atyourservice@amrika.co.uk and we would be thrilled to brainstorm with you! Likewise if you have a model that you think we should shou-tout in this piece, comment below and share your thoughts!